


i'll stand beside you right or wrong

by monophobian



Series: Tumblr RP Adventures [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Blood, Drabble Sequence, F/M, Growing Up, Slice of Life, Snippets, and then some happy things, and then some smut happens, sad things, some violence, trying to figure out canon between these two characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-01 20:34:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 7,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16772431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monophobian/pseuds/monophobian
Summary: A series of drabbles and slice of life moments between Sakura and Sasuke.These are all taken from my RP blog and written for (and with) shadowkage's Sasuke.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [seiauton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/seiauton/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: "I’m not like you. I’m sorry you miss me, but I’m not like you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This drabble is just after the chuunin exams; the rest are post war.

That was it. The final nail in the coffin since the second chuunin exam. Since she lost and her teammates moved on and she was left forgotten as they were trained for the next.

She understood – they had a lot of training to do. It was big and important and terrifying and it wouldn’t make sense for either Naruto or Sasuke-kun to take precious time to visit her. Even Ino-pig had noticed a difference in Shikamaru’s availability, though…they still trained. They still ate dinner together. They still…they were still a team.

Even after the disaster of the third exam, they were a team.

A smile graced her face, blatant in how fake it was, but it kept her from crying again. “I’m sorry, Sasuke-kun, I should have realized.” Even her voice cracked, but she continued on. “I hope you’ve been well. You’ve really improved a lot. I didn’t even know you could get better.”

Ramble, ramble, ramble, ramble. Is there anything else you know how to do, Haruno?

“Sorry to have disturbed you. See you soon! Or not. I mean, I’ll see you when I see you? When you want me too. I hope. Well, I mean, I’d love to see you soon, but like you said, we’re different, so.” If she didn’t get out of there now, she was really going to make a fool of herself. “Have a good night, Sasuke-kun. I hope it gets better for you.”

Sakura should have been ashamed at how easily the tears flowed, but she was absurdly proud that she held them in until she was out of sight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: He didn't know why he said it but maybe he didn't need a reason. Sakura was a person he respeced greatly, he had for a long time now. And yet she seemed to not realize how deep this appreciation went. He wanted to show her with little gestures and, if those didn't work, with words. Phrasing wasn't his strong point but he tried to anyway. "I'm glad you were asigned to team 7. That you're my comrade." It wasn't his place to speak such things and yet he couldn't help but feel this way.

It had been a shitty day. Awful, disgustingly awful from waking up that morning stiff and sore on the branch of a tree, to being caught in rain on her run home, and finally being sent to the hospital as soon as she turned in her report. Not that she was hurt, but they needed help due to a flu outbreak in the civilian district.

Simply put, she was exhausted when she finally left the hospital after dark, shoulders slumped and feet shuffling and every bone in her body crying for sleep. Only there was a surprise waiting for her just outside – a very familiar surprise in the shape of a certain Uchiha she’d been spending more and more time with. 

He silently fell into step with her and she didn’t halt, leading him to her apartment. A million questions flitted through her mind, yet none were formed into words. If he wished to speak, he would, but she was comfortable in the silence they had.

She was climbing the stairs to her apartment when he finally spoke. His words halted everything, her body freezing mid-step as her mind sprang to life at his meaning. 

“Sasuke?” His name was a bare whisper on lips as she turned toward him, blinking owlishly up at his stoic figure. What did she say to that? “I…

“I’m glad you were, too.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Staring deep into their eyes with adoration.

The crush of the earth underneath her fist was thrilling. Watching the ground explode from the force of her chakra, gaping wide open with the follow through of her shoulder, flecks of dirt and soil flying up from the release of energy. Wonderful, all of it, to let her chakra loose and focus on the strength she’d honed in her own body.

Oh so often she used tender touches and care to heal. Times like these reminded her how well she could destroy.

Hopping out of the crack came easy, sharp eyes looked around the field for her sparring partner. Naruto had claimed to only give himself a handicap while letting her fight for all she was worth; guess it had been a while since they actually fought.

It was a dark figure along the tree that caught her attention instead. Bright orange and yellow were nowhere to be found as her face flushed under the scrutiny of Sasuke’s gaze. It hadn’t been weird between them, but…something had changed. _Different_ and that gleam in his gaze was the crux of it.

“Are you watching or do you want to join?” Her cheeks were probably bright red and her heart fluttered as she recognized the same softness Naruto spoke about. Sakura had been noticing it more and more. “If you want, I’m sure we could probably find some bells somewhere.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: He couldn't look at her. Not after what he had attempted to do. His hand still tingled from the electricity he had forced into it, a voltage high enough to kill even someone who was used to it's sparks. It was numb, just as the rest of his body. Had Sakura not walked in on him, he wouldn't be anymore. He hated himself for not being faster. "Sakura. I--"

She slammed him into the wall, every bit of her chakra thrumming through her fingers to hold him still. It was instinct, she realized after they stilled in the new silence of the room. One hand wrapped around the wrist that had sparked, lit up the entirety of the dark room and filled the house with the sound of birds, the other on his chest, pinning his torso still as she tried to remember to breathe.

Later, when she left, she would cry. Sakura knew this, knew it as deep as she knew what he was about to do. She would dissolve into a trembling mess on the floor of her bathroom, curled up into herself as she tried to cry the nightmares away.

But now, right now she had to actively keep her fingers from crushing the bones of his arm in anger, in grief, _in fear_.

“What the _fuck_ do you think you were doing?” Her harsh whisper was loud, cutting through the space. “You– _you–_ ”

Her mind replayed it for her, opening the door to find his hand lit up in the blue of her nightmares reaching for his own chest. She could still feel her cry tear out of her throat, see his wide eyes turn to her. She could still hear the resounding thud of his body hitting the wall in the pitch dark room.

She was wrong, she realized then. Seems like she wouldn’t be waiting until she was alone to cry. Her voice broke with a sob on her next words. “ _Why?_ ”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: Coming up from behind, he wound his arm around her midsection, pulled her close. He exhaled deeply while nuzzling against the nook of her neck. No words needed to be spoken.

The sudden warmth was a surprise. Solid arm around her waist, strong chest against her back, it was second nature to relax against him. Only one person felt like he did and only one person touched her with such familiarity. 

Her arm found his, fingers tracing between elegant ones as her neck moved to offer him more room. Shoulders relaxing under the breadth of his, she wasted no time drinking in the comfort he was offering. Her free hand came up to delve into the dark strands of hair dancing at the edge of her vision, nails softly raking over his scalp in affection. 

And he was being affectionate. Not completely out of his comfort zone in the privacy of her home, but more than she’d grown to expect. New surprises had littered her recent memory, slowly learning a side of Sasuke she’d never known. 

When she could she moved again, angling her neck once more to place her lips to his temple, a gentle caress that spoke of more than words could. 

Oh so often they spoke in silence, Sakura had come to learn. Most things did with him, often finding words lacking when he could express his meaning with a small touch. Learning his way of speaking had grown with time and she enjoyed every minute of it. 

And as her lips pressed another kiss over his skin and her fingers entwined in his, she wouldn’t have it any other way. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When he sought her out today, his eyes did not meet her own. He sat on her opposite, as he'd done many times before, unsure whether or not to speak or if it wouldn't be wiser to let these demons sleep. Lastly, he decided that he needed to know the truth. He needed to know he wasn't keeping her from something-- _someone_ better. "I've heard you ... confessed your love to Naruto? Before the war?"

She knew. As soon as she saw him, she knew something was wrong. He refused to meet her gaze, didn’t say a word when she invited him in, was silent in ways he hadn’t ever been for her. Stiff muscles perched on her chair, waiting for just what was on his mind.

And then he started speaking and she sank, regret making its way over her skin and through her bones, covering her in a salve she couldn’t wash off. It would brand her, she knew. A permanent reminder of a mistake made out of ignorance and a blind need to help. How her words then had hurt Naruto, had hurt _her_ , and here they were continuing in the very man who should have never had to face it.

“Danzo was Hokage. You were part of the Akatsuki.” She couldn’t look at him as she spoke, not when she knew what she would be explaining. “He issued an order to kill you on sight.

“When you first left, Naruto promised me he would bring you back. Through the years we chased you, he held to that promise, reassuring me he would keep it.” Even now, she could hear his voice echoing through her head as he announced his nindo. “I couldn’t– I didn’t want Naruto to keep to that promise when every shinobi on good terms with Konoha was tasked with killing you.”

When she paused to take a breath, the silence settled in around her like a solid weight.

“I lied.” Sakura barely managed to swallow around the lump in her throat. “I lied, trying to get him to stop. Naruto wouldn’t kill you, I knew that. He couldn’t. But if– I thought I could. I had to. If he believed I didn’t love you anymore, he wouldn’t suspect me of going after you alone.”

Knees came up as she curled into herself. How could she face Sasuke now? “I was wrong, in more ways than one. I ended up hurting him even more and now– I’ve hurt you.

“I’m sorry.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: "...Your dad handed me some condoms while you were in the kitchen. I'm not--- Is this ... normal?"

There were condoms in his hand. Neon-wrapped squares just sitting there nonchalantly in his grip. She recognized a few of them from color; one with added lubrication, another ribbed, two more for different sizes, and– was that a glow-in-the-dark one? Sakura unsuccessfully tried to keep from snorting at the thought of using that.

“Are you asking ‘normal’ for people or ‘normal’ for him?” It wasn’t normal for either, but she couldn’t help the quirk of lips at his face. Sasuke’s expression was perfect. Indignation, embarrassment, and not a little bit of confusion as a blush settled on the high points of his cheeks.

Reaching out, she plucked the bundle from him, sorting through to see if there was a hidden message in them. Aside from her father’s apparent acceptance and approval in her choice of partner and his awareness of Sakura’s overwhelming physical attraction to said partner, she couldn’t find one. Though she was amused to discover these came from the civilian section of the hospital.

“Has he left already?” She wouldn’t put it past him – drop a handful of condoms into his daughter’s introverted boyfriend’s hands, pat him on the shoulder and say something ridiculous about being careful when being caring, and then walking out the door before she could react.

He’d have stayed long enough to see Sasuke’s reaction, though. Sakura would definitely hear him laugh about that when she met him for lunch next week.

Looking back up at his face, she couldn’t resist stepping close. Voice low and eyes half-lidded, Sakura continued on the tease in the way that would make Haruno proud. “We can try them and tell him which ones we like best?”

It was worth it to see just how deep of a red he could turn.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: A number that selected a porn gif of a man jacking off into a woman's open mouth.

While Sakura had expected a fair amount of roughness that would slowly smooth out over time, she hadn’t quite expected… _that_.

She should have, she realized as her hand continued pumping him, lips fastening over the tip of his length to keep any more spurts from reaching her eyes. As it was, she was ignoring the splash across her nose and cheek. No use in paying that any mind, not when she could enjoy the stuttered groans breaking through his lips or feel the tremble in his hips as she worked out the last bit of his release.

It was a surprise, but she didn’t mind it. What had originally planned to be a slow introduction to her mouth and tongue working in time with her hand instead turned quicker than she anticipated. But so utterly worth it. To allow him a release that came naturally, that he didn’t have to fight for or think about or allow his own thoughts turn on him and reject the pleasure she hoped to bestow. 

She let him slide out of her mouth when he gained his breath, body tensing under her hands. _No_ , this tension wasn’t supposed to be there. He was supposed to be soft and relaxed and boneless and open to the ridiculous amount of affection she wanted to give, not shutting down and pulling away from her.

“Sasuke…” He interrupted her with an apology – _apology!_ – and Sakura licked a smart stripe up the length of his softened cock. Words stopped in his throat, nerves oversensitive as sharp eyes looked down at her after another strangled groan. She knew the picture she painted on her knees in front of him, a splatter of cum across her cheek, green eyes darkened in want and pleasure, and she made sure he watched as she pressed a kiss to his hip.

“Was it good?” Focus on the positive, _focus on the positive._ “Did you enjoy it? I did. And I want to do it again.”

Her dry cheek rubbed along the crease of his thigh. “You are so beautiful, did you know? Every reaction is, too. I love you, I love being with you, and I love that you don’t hold back from me.”

Only then did she reach for the sheet behind him, slowly wiping her nose and cheek dry. A quick check to find that her hair was dry too and then she looked back up at him.

“You don’t ever have to apologize for enjoying what I do. I _want_ you to enjoy it, I want you to enjoy _me_.” Her lips were running over his skin with ever word and her hands caressed over his stomach, down his waist, slowly working that tension from him. “Can I do that again?”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: He places his chin on her shoulder, positioning himself more comfortably as he ponders on something. The evening is calm, maybe a bit chilly, but that's what they have each other for. He puts his arm around her midriff, his palm lazily resting against the couch. "How ... was it like? Growing up with your parents." His clan's death day was coming close.

Sinking back into Sasuke’s warmth is natural, settling in for a quiet night spent with him. She loves these nights, loves the warmth and emotion and growing intimacy that comes with it. Anything to help Sasuke grow more comfortable around her.

Conversation will usually flit in and out during these times. Sometimes, they’ll banter back and forth and others, they’ll sit in comforting silence. She knew something was going on in his head, could feel the gears turning as he thought in silence, but voicing that question came as a surprise. Sakura– Sakura had never thought he would want to know.

Her head fell back against his shoulder, cheek brushing against his as she thought it over. How to explain something like that? He had known his parents long enough to understand the love for them, but the bond built when she could stand on her own was something unknown.

“Annoying,” she murmured after a bit, turning slightly to press the barest of kisses to his temple. Her lips stayed there as she let the word flit through the silence, knowing he would understand her meaning. After all, it was one of their biggest sources of miscommunications; he should grasp it well.

“Some days after you and Naruto and Kakashi-sensei were gone and I was training with Shishou, it was awful. My mother kept insisting I stop, wanting me to find a nice civilian boy to settle down with and give up the thought of being a kunoichi. Find a civilian job, marry, have four or five kids, and forget all about anything attached to shinobi world. She even had candidates picked out. Papa was probably the only reason we weren’t at each other’s throats all the time.” 

She found his hand with hers, resting on top as her fingers idly traced over his. 

“It was easier after I moved out. I saw them when I could and Mama and I didn’t fight as much, but the fights we had were worse.” Sakura looked down to watch as she danced lightly over his skin. “We didn’t end on a fight, but it feels like it. Our last conversation was passive aggressive arguments and backhanded compliments. Though I…I’m grateful to know I told her I loved her when I left.”

Sakura settled further against him, stretching her legs down the length of the couch. “Those were the bad days, but we had a lot of good ones, too. Papa understood the shinobi world a little more than she did, so there were countless conversations with him about my training. He was so impressed when I showed him the first fish I healed, even if we did end up having it for dinner that night.

“When I became a chuunin, he took the next day off of work. We went around the village, just the three of us, and did everything we always wanted to do. Walked through the market without him working, had tea at the little cafe they used to sneak off to when they were dating, just enjoyed being a family.” Her fingers laced over his as she fell silent for a moment, wondering if they would be able to do the same with their children. “They bought me my first bottle of sake that night. Said if I could lead a team on a mission, I could drink.”

Shishou had done the same that weekend. Sakura never heard from Naruto or Kakashi. 

She went quiet with that thought, not really focusing or rejecting, but letting it linger until it disappeared. While she mourned not having all of those precious to her at that moment, she was proud to have stood on her own. A bittersweet memory that was above all else _hers_.

“I imagine the Sannin were all similar, demanding in what they taught and not really giving when there was failure. Naruto said Jiraiya-sama worked him tirelessly when he wasn’t being ignored. Though…I can’t imagine you struggling at much of anything. Having my parents there, they were my support when I thought I had nothing.” 

Those three years were lonely, but that fact remained unsaid. She was certain his entire life had been lonely.

“Even when Mama and I weren’t speaking to each other, she still loved me and supported me in the ways she knew how. I think…I think that’s where I learned how to support you, even when you weren’t here.” Another kiss, this time to his hand before she wrapped it back around her waist. “I had to learn where they failed, where we disagreed. My parents had been heroes to me when I was young and slowly, I learned their faults and weaknesses alongside their strengths. Growing up with them taught me that we don’t have to be perfect to be good and we don’t have to always be good to be loved.”

There were still other things to say, other stories to share, but not then. Not in that moment. Turning, she pressed another kiss to his temple, so very happy that his chin was still perched on her shoulder. She liked this. “Does that…help?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favorites.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: "I just-- I can't _take_ this shit anymore, Sakura! I don't deserve these looks! What would they have done had it been the other way around? Surely not sat by as their family was murdered on village's orders. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, I _can't_. I should just leave and never come back. But I don't want that either. Fuck, sorry. I didn't mean-- Fuck."

She felt helpless at these times, watching Sasuke crack under the weight of the village’s wrongs. He was right – he didn’t deserve any of the hatred and prejudice still shown him, the looks and glares and icy demeanors. At first, she almost thought she was seeing things, or attributing it to people simply not being used to seeing him in the village again. But over the years, she learned that not to be true.

Sakura shopped for him, went to the market and bought his groceries so he wouldn’t be taken advantage of. She dealt with the majority of things around his home, contracting people for upkeep and making sure it was only those she trusted to help.

Listening to his tirade, though, she didn’t know how she could help then.

And then he said it – the one thing that halted everything. Her wince wasn’t hidden; Sakura hadn’t been expecting it to go in that direction. The change in his tone spoke of how obvious it had been. 

She knew he hadn’t meant it the way it came out. He meant to leave the village and the hate, not _her_. Still, memories of watching his back walk away from the village hurt.

In the silence that fell between them, Sakura drew in a strengthening breath, soothing that flare of pain back down and thinking through it. She stepped close, tucking herself into the curve of his neck she’d come to know as home and tightening her arms around him.

“If you do decide on that route,” she began softly into his skin, “let me come with you this time. Please don’t condemn me to stay in this village without you.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: "Are you ... happy? Even though I'm a mess and we are a mess and everything's difficult? Are you ... battling through this so we'll be happy in the future? Is the way there more painful than it is enjoyable?" (cf. "Tell me when you want to keep things to yourself.")

Part of her wasn’t surprised at these questions. They were ones she had entertained at one time, too, back in the beginning of their relationship. When she had left his apartment with knowledge of truths she had never known and her heart beating on her sleeve, torn and battered and wanting more than she ever wanted to admit, Sakura had addressed those very same concerns.

Considering one conversation had been so painful, she had to acknowledge what would be the rest.

But that had been over a year ago, far earlier than Sasuke probably ever knew. Sakura had known then – before _everything –_ that if she wasn’t willing to be completely serious about this endeavor, she shouldn’t even try. It had been one of the few things her brain and heart agreed on when it came to Sasuke: even through the pain, the end result had been worth it and she was willing to dive in.

A bit of curiosity trickled through, wondering when he had first entertained these thoughts and doubts. This wasn’t the first time; in all she knew of Sasuke, he mulled questions like these over for quite some time before speaking them. If he ever did. Sometimes she stumbled on them herself, but these… These were ones she had already answered for herself.

She tucked her feet under the pillow at the end of her couch, her head coming to rest on his shoulder while she found his hand with hers. Interlacing their fingers was second nature by now, but she still completed the move with a kiss to his knuckle.

“When I started training with Tsunade, it was terrible. Longer days than Kakashi-sensei had ever asked of us – even on missions – and she pushed and pushed to see when I would break. I was fine when I was learning medicine, but when she starting teaching me taijutsu, I almost quit nearly every day.”

Another kiss over his knuckles, ignoring the scars on her own.

“There were days the bones in my hands would break because of the force and repetition of the hits. She would set the bones if needed, offer a small amount of salve, and then wrap them, but never did she heal them herself. When I couldn’t hit anymore, we would switch to medical texts until my hands healed on their own.” How long had it been since she last lost herself in these memories? “I was forbidden to attempt to heal them myself.”

She had cried the second time, sitting in her shower as the water turned cold and sobbing out her pain and frustration and absolute dread to unwrap her hands and hurt them again. Her mother – Sakura still remembered her surprise – rather than using the situation for another opportunity to convince her daughter to leave the shinobi life forever, instead supported her silently, asking and inquiring about Sakura’s apprenticeship with the Hokage. She had wanted to know all about what sparked this sudden determination and work ethic her daughter hadn’t yet shown.

“Living through it was one of the most terrible things I’d ever experienced. I’ve told you before that Shishou was demanding, but I don’t think I’ve ever expanded on it. Most of these scars,” she said, motioning down to the small, white lines crisscrossing over both sets of knuckles, “are from that training. I was only given gloves when we added chakra.”

One of the things she had grown to truly appreciate about Sasuke was that he listened. When she fell silent to gather her thoughts, he didn’t attempt to fill it, but waited patiently until she was finished. How she had worked to learn to offer him the same respect.

“There were so many days I wondered if I would ever make it. If it would ever be worth it to put myself through such torture to try and catch up. And when those moments reached their darkest and I walked to the Tower rehearsing my own resignation, Shishou would be waiting to show me why to keep going.”

Even now she could remember her triumph watching the first boulder she ever cracked crumble before her eyes.

“When I fought Sasori, I couldn’t have been more grateful for Tsunade. It was only because of her rigorous training that I didn’t freeze up in fear.”

She could count on one hand the times she had ever spoken of that fight, though he knew more than most. Nightmares for Sakura were rare with Sasuke near, but she had babbled and cried into his shoulders enough to understand the absolute terror she faced.

“It’s not a perfect analogy. You are far more precious to me than training ever was. Not a single one of my accomplishments can ever be on par with how happy I am with you, how happy you make me.” No kiss to his skin this time in favor of meeting his quiet, attentive gaze. “Does it hurt? Yes, sometimes. Do I struggle? I think we both do. Is it worth it?”

And she smiled, clear green eyes warming to that of a field after a nourishing rain, all the love in her heart transparent on her face. “You are. You always will be. And I hope that for you, I am, too.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: She couldn't possibly know how much it meant to him. Someone to hold onto, someone to confine in without being weak. He tried to repay her day by day. A helpful gesture, a soft-spoken word. This time, it were five of their kind. "Thank you for making me happy." Happier than ever before.

He was so warm. She’d learned long before that moment how warm he was and how she naturally gravitated toward him in her sleep. Many times, she’d woken to find herself invading his space completely with the stretch of bed behind her. Amusement always danced around when she would situate herself back on her side.

And it was still a novel idea – her side of the bed. At night, she found her thoughts drifting over that revelation as she watched him. In the morning, she found herself smiling at how natural it had become.

That morning found her eyes opening much earlier than normal. Although, considering how early she’d passed out the night before, it wasn’t all that much of a surprise. Three doubles at the hospital and then an impromptu mission to send information south had drained her completely. 

She’d been asleep long before he joined her in bed. That never happened.

Her eyes blinked open, easily adjusting to the very small amount of soft light coming in from the window. Early, oh so early, and she toyed with the idea of snuggling close to the warmth by her side and going right back to sleep.

Speaking of which– Turning, she found Sasuke awake, perched on his side with a soft, oh so soft gaze watching her. Still foggy from sleep, she smiled and let out a hum, something she knew he would interpret to mean ‘Good morning’. Fingers stroked through her hair and the gentle ministrations almost soothed her back to sleep.

“ _Thank you for making me happy._ ”

Alert eyes shot open, all remnants of sleep gone as she stared at him. Her heart beat in her chest, loud against the quiet of the room and for a moment, she couldn’t move.

But then she embraced those words, their meaning, the spoken affection he so rarely indulged in. A tear in her eye, one she couldn’t fight for the euphoric joy at what he said, and then she moved. Pulling herself out from the comfort of the sheets and arching into a kiss to properly portray her reaction. Her hands cupped his jaw as she kissed him, so full of the love they’d cultivated, hoping beyond hope that he knew how much those words meant to her.

Sakura followed him down, pressing him into the mattress as she continued in her kiss. Such a confession would be carefully guarded in her heart and she would return it tenfold.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “I’ll do anything you want me to do to you, but you have to say it out loud.”

It was easier with him on his back. Not to say she hadn’t been thinking of all the possible ways this could go about, but it worked. With only one hand, options were limited when that one hand was intended to be used, though Sakura didn’t mind this. Looking down at him to see his dark eyes so focused on her, only her, fueled the flame of arousal even hotter than she was prepared for.

She was so slick when their hands finally brushed her. Breath hitched as he explored, elegant fingers fluttering along her lips slowly, his hesitance apparent. But she smiled, encouraging him to continue without her for a moment. Sakura wanted him to be comfortable, wanted him to take his time, and she cooed when his fingertips graced over her opening.

“Press there,” she murmured, settling her thighs even wider over his hand and moaning when he listened. They weren’t in, but they were teasing and Sakura took in a breath to keep herself from sinking down on him.

She still rocked over him before gently grabbing his wrist. “Always make sure your fingers are wet,” a blush stained her cheeks, but she fought past it to move his fingers up to the apex of her heat, “before– feel this?”

Another gasp as he pressed over her clit, too light to be anything but a tease. She moved him closer, applying a steady pressure and holding him still as shivers racked up her frame. “Small circles. There’s not a lot of space right there, but it’s sensitive– _!!_ ”

This time, a loud, sharp moan cut her words off. He’d caught her between his fingers, overwhelming her with sensation as she writhed over him. _Too much, too much, too much–_ Her shoulders slumped a moment when he stilled, rapt attention focused on her. Breath panted out before she could continue, eyes glazed over as she smiled down at him again.

“I need you to tell me if your wrist becomes uncomfortable, okay?” She could have let him continue, learning her until she came from his fingers pressed to those nerves, but she wanted more. Waiting until she saw agreement from him, she directed his fingers back to her slit.

The moan that left her when he sank completely in her was long and low, pleasure apparent on her face. A slow rhythm at first, watching him to make sure this wasn’t too much for him. Sakura had been so careful in this, wanting to ensure she never overwhelmed him. She found what she was looking for in his eyes, watching his own fingers sink into her body over and over again.

Her hand slid over her hip bone, finger dipping in to circle her clit. “If the angle works and your thumb can– oh, _oh._ _Sasuke_.” It did. A little hesitant, a little clumsy, but enough to spark pleasure next to the slow build of his fingers.

The build was slow, as was expected. She grew slicker and slicker, so aroused every time she looked down at him, remembered it was _Sasuke’s_ hand bringing her so much pleasure. A needy growl tore from her throat when she got close and he moved, the strain becoming too much. So close and yet–

“Keep going, fuck. _Please._ Don’t stop.” Her hips were moving, adjusting until she was riding his fingers and controlling the slide of his thumb. No words were left, instead pants and moans and cries left her as she felt that edge finally approach. Finally, finally, _finally–_

She was silent when she came, her breath hitching as her muscles clamped over his fingers, hips jerking with the onslaught of pleasure as it snapped free through her body. Then she moaned, loud, shoulders slumping until she collapsed over him. Spasming over his fingers, she choked out a harsh gasp when his thumb brushed her again.

“Too much–” He stilled and she sighed, going limp over him. Only when he slid his fingers from her did she move, arching up to kiss him. Slow and gentle, fingers carding through his hair as her tongue entwined with his and she poured her love for him in through the kiss. 

A few more kisses, all slow and lazy before her hand left his hair to brush down his chest until her fingers danced over the pressing length in his pants. “May I?”


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: 'I love you' said over and over again, till it’s nothing but a senseless babble

Sleeping next to him was still an event for her. One day, she would get used to it. One day, feeling his warmth cocoon her in a blanket of security would feel so natural, she would actively miss it when it was gone.

She wasn’t there yet and so she found herself awake in the quiet pre-dawn hours. Laying on her side, Sakura was content to watch him. Shadows played over a the hollow of his cheeks, dark hair hid the beginning of his brown bone, and the smallest sliver of moonlight graced the straight line of his nose. 

She could spend countless hours watching peace dance over Sasuke’s face.

It didn’t last long. Full lips twitched into a frown, jaw muscles alternatively clenching and releasing, and then his brow shifted. Still, she watched in silence. Experience had already taught her to leave him to his sleep – at least until he opened his eyes and left the grasp of his demons.

Minutes ticked by as he grew restless. The warmth he offered shifted and she could barely keep from reaching out. Her heart yearned for nothing more than to ease his sorrows, yet she couldn’t. By the time he jerked awake gasping for air, tears had already wet her cheeks. 

“Sasuke?” A single hand caressed his cheek.

“ _I love you_.”

Eyes flew wide at that, her jaw falling slack as he turned toward her. The pain writ in his eyes was enough to have her reaching out, folding him into her embrace. Her answer came easily as a soft whisper into his hair.

When it didn’t end there, her tears simply continued. A strong hand clutched the thin shirt she wore, right where she knew his clan crest to be. Shudders wracked through him as he repeated those words again.

The rasp of grief in his voice shattered what was left of her resistance, her strength. Sakura responded in kind, not allowing a single one remain unanswered until they finally ran together in one long, unbroken plea. Only then did she fall quiet, fingers carding through hair as she held him tighter.

“I love you,” she murmured when he finally fell silent. Kisses pressed over his hair, above his brow bone, over the delicate weapons of his eyes, and then finally over his own lips. Against them, she reminded him of her vow, her promise, her forgiveness, and her heart, all through three little words.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: It was way past midnight as Sasuke checked in on her. Hunched over her desk, Sakura seemed to be writing either reports or some sort of medical documents. Though the sight wasn't uncommon, it was very much /unwanted/, considering she should be in bed, with him, and not work till morning. And so Sasuke approached her without concealing his presence. Once he stood directly behind her, he lay his hand on top of her head and pat it. "Let's go home," he proclaimed. "This can wait, Sakura."

The new poison they obtained from the last chuunin exams was sure one stubborn thing to crack. A week now she had worked over it, testing all sorts of concoctions for an antidote or cure. So far, the only success they found was a way to freeze the toxin in its tracks and store it until a medic could manually extract the liquid.

It would work, but it only lasted three days before the poison ate through the barrier. That wasn’t a good time period for missions.

Just after midnight, Sakura noticed something odd about the reports. An hour later, she was locating old texts and scrolls, searching for a particular experiment she remembered reading that covered one of the components. If she found that report – she might be able to break down the poison further.

When she felt Sasuke’s presence at the door, she shouldn’t have been surprised.

It took only a moment before she decided to glance at the clock. And promptly wince. Way too late, _far too late_ , so late that it seemed he got tired of waiting. His footsteps were only heard because he let them and her shoulders sagged at that moment of realization. Staying for hours at the hospital was different when there was no one home. She had someone home now and rather than enjoy her time with him, she had chased the night away alone in her office.

Her apology froze on the tip of her tongue when she felt his palm touch her head. Once, and then twice before it remained there, his fingers warm and soft over her frazzled crown of pink hair. Damn her face for flaming into a blush at the touch.

“I’m sorry,” she offered softly. There’s the thought of cleaning up her desk, but it would take more time than she was willing to make him wait, so Sakura stood and followed Sasuke out of her office, locking the door behind her. 

The trip home was quiet, too cooped up in her own thoughts to really carry on a conversation. But the dark night sky and the quiet that settled over the village seemed to seep into her, highlighting just how tired she really was. Her feet trudged through the front door and she barely managed to step out of her shoes without falling. Sakura breezed through the quickest shower she’d ever had, pulled on the first thing she could find – which she was immensely grateful to see was one of his shirts – and then she crawled into bed.

His presence in their bed was unmistakable, a comforting weight she wasted no time curling around. “We’re sleeping in tomorrow,” she murmured as her body settled. “Sorry for staying out so late.”

Her final words of _I love you_ were mumbled into his shoulder, but she knew he understood from the beat of his heart against her ear before finally drifting to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: 'I love you' said muffled, from the other side of the door

Time had slowed to a trickle, a trickle of blood as the pain slowly ebbed away. What had been a sharp pain searing up from her womb had finally dulled to a throb she would normally associate with cramps. Cramps she hadn’t felt since becoming pregnant.

But there, in that dingy bathroom of their tiny room at the rundown inn in a village so far from home – there in that toilet was the proof that what had been truth no longer was. 

She couldn’t recall how long she’d been in there, locked in what turned out to be a cell, but she couldn’t stay. No, her heart too broken, her soul too battered, and her husband standing on the other side. She couldn’t deal with this alone and, she realized with a small flare of hope, she didn’t have to.

The sound of the toilet flushing was loud. Everything had gone silent when the last of her heaving sobs finally stopped, only now to be broken by the cold truth washing down the drain. The noises that followed were her standing to her feet, the rustle of clothing as she made herself presentable, and then the water from the sink as she washed her hands.

And continued washing her hands.

A soft thud on the door finally drew her attention. With the snap of her wrist, Sakura flicked off the water and began drying her hands, methodical in every sense of the word. Her body worked on its own while her mind soared through the skies a hundred miles away. 

On the other side of the door, a faint tone only she had ever been privy to hear brought her back. Grounded in the dark reality she faced, she was reminded once again that she wasn’t alone.

“ _I love you_.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: He does not congratulate her but there lies a small gift with red wrapping on her nightstand. Inside is a box of sweets that he knows she enjoys, as well as a small note with his name on it.

Long days filled her recent memory, all shifts at the hospital and meals made for Sarada and lonely nights falling asleep alone. Months it had been since she was last about to get out of the village and see him. Christmas, the New Year, Valentine’s and White Day had come and gone and Sakura–

Some days were harder than others and holidays were always hardest.

Sarada had made her breakfast that morning, already doing really well in the kitchen for herself. It had been a slow start, enjoying the meal together before Sarada had to leave for school. She’d been so excited to be at the academy, Sakura couldn’t help but smile as she watched the little dark head bound off from the house.

Her daughter had been insistent on doing the dishes, so Sakura indulged in a long shower before heading to the hospital for a short shift.

The house was empty when she got home, but that was expected. The academy wouldn’t let out for another hour or two, perfectly planned to give Sakura a bit of time to herself before taking Sarada out for dinner. Living room first to pick up her book, then into her room where she was hoping to curl up in bed and read.

But a flash of red catches her eye and the book goes to the bed as she picks up the gift.

The sweets are perfect, just the ones she always found herself craving, but it’s the note that means the most. Sasuke had never been one for words, relying on actions to speak for him in most things and they did. But the scrawl of his name, that he felt the need to write _something_ , how it spoke of more than just a word.

The sweets get tucked into the nightstand, a small secret for her to indulge in when she needed it. The note, she finally decides to use as a bookmark. It stays in her possession for a few days before it’s tucked into a small box she keeps on her bookshelf, filled with all the notes he’d sent over the years. In another month, she’ll look through the box again to keep her patient until she can see him again.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Body worshipping their naked form, slowly.

Her lip was stuck between her teeth, unsuccessful in its attempts to hold back the sounds of her gasps. She couldn’t be loud, not with Sarada on the other side of the house, but oh, how hard that feat was when it had been so _long_. Kakashi had been very gracious to them – any mission that called for retrieving or giving information to Sasuke was always given to her. 

If Sasuke weren’t so _thorough_ in his descent, she’d probably laugh at the memory of Naruto when he found that decree out.

 _Months_ since she last felt him, his touch, his lips, his hand, his heat. And he seemed to be making up for it in that moment as he slowly dropped down to his knees. Already, she could see the kiss marks down the expanse of her body. An hour, maybe, they would last and part of her would mourn their loss, but she wouldn’t mind. He didn’t seem to like marks and bruises on her. 

His lips kissed over trim, pink hair and her hips pushed forward, only to whine when he moved down her thigh. She could feel his mouth move in amusement in response, knowing just what that would look like on his face. It only fueled her desire. His strong hand coasted up the length of her leg, slowly as he sat back to watch it. And then he leaned in to follow that journey with his lips.

She didn’t know how long it was that she stood there, holding herself up against the wall while he worshipped her body. From arousing motions with his hand to knowing placement of his lips and then seeking to taste with his tongue, and all she could do was try not to cry out. When he finally sat back on his heels, looking up at her with moisture glistening from his lips, she pounced. 

Neither one got any sleep that night.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from Sasuke: He comes up from behind and wraps his arms around her. "I heard you're back," he whispers near her ear. "We've got a lot to catch up on."

The house was _clean_. The foyer, the living room, what she can see of the kitchen, even the bathroom when she finally makes her way there. Sakura certainly didn’t leave the house in this state, though she didn’t necessarily leave it dirty. A little clutter here and there she would have cleaned up if she had time, but with such little notice for her mission, there wasn’t much she could have done. Sarada said she didn’t mind and Sakura planned to beat Sasuke back.

She hadn’t. Not by months.

Stupid mission, stupid politics, stupid reasons to keep her away from home for far longer than she ever wanted to be. Good thing Sasuke wasn’t supposed to leave again. Though, the next time he left the village, she would be going too. No more of this living life separated because people can’t work their own problems out.

His embrace was welcome, warm, and strong against her back. It had been so long since she felt him, breathed in his scent, enjoyed his presence and heard his voice. So long since she’d last acted her role as _wife._ She wasn’t going this long without again.

“After,” she answered, turning and tucking her head under his chin. Her hands slid under his shirt and pressed against the skin of his back, reminding her they were really there. “Tell me everything after.”

She angled up and nuzzled into the curve of his neck, pressing her lips up and down the column of his throat. Her arms tightened and she knew he wouldn’t argue. Sarada was out on a short mission and Sakura hadn’t seen him in _months_.

“We have time to make up for, first.”


End file.
